I DON'T WANT A MATE, CH 32

Chapter 32: SWAT Kats Undercover

Leaving their orders from Feral on the desk for Burke and Murray to see, Chance went out the office door and locked it behind him then joined his partner who was waiting in the small, slightly beat up sedan they used for errands.

"Okay, we're set."

"Roger." Jake was the driver and took off through the gate which had to remain open for Burke and Murray to deliver the city's salvage.

"Feels weird doing undercover work and being back in the Enforcers," Chance muttered, staring at the passing scenery.

Jake snorted. "That's because you love being your own boss and you don't get to fly yet with them. Also, this was the way we began our career in the Enforcers, remember?"

The tabby rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, of course I remember and that's not what has me uncomfortable about this whole thing. This isn't like when we joined ... we've got a rep of being bad apples so no one will trust us which will make this a nightmare until they do."

Jake sighed and shook his head. "We aren't thought of as 'bad apples', Chance. But, we were seen as loose cannons, rebels who wouldn't always follow orders ... especially direct orders from our Commander. That just isn't something our peers are willing to forgive or forget despite all the years we've been gone."

"It sucks! And because of that attitude, we have a team that's supposed to be our backups but don't trust us. Just how is that supposed to keep us alive and take out the bad guys?" Chance growled, not expecting an answer. "Which is why this mission makes me antsy since I can't be certain our support will be there if things decide to go fubar."

"Give me some credit here, buddy! I have no intention of completely depending on them for our safety so I've a back up plan that will ensure we get out alive and make sure the information we find gets to the one who actually needs it most ... your mate," Jake reassured his partner. "Remember, he does have one of our comm units. And besides, we don't really need the ops team. We've trained ourselves into the best infiltration team there is around. This won't be any different than all our times with masks on."

Chance was nodding in agreement by the time Jake finished. "Yeah, you're right. We're better than all of them and with Ulysses standing by for messages from me, we should get out of this with our fur intact. Besides, I want more time to spend with my mate instead of this constant running around after one emergency or another. I have other priorities now."

Jake gave him a sideways look of surprise. This was the first he'd heard of this from his partner. "Oh ... what might those be?"

The tabby shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe starting a family though we haven't exactly talked about it recently, especially not with all that's been going on, but it is kind of there in the back of my mind." Chance's expression became more serious as he added, "We're not getting any younger you know and Uly is quickly moving past any safe breeding period for him so if we want a family then we have to be thinking about it within the next year or so."

"Wow! You've been giving this some thought, I see," Jake said, thoughtfully. "Callie and I haven't gotten to the commitment stage yet. I did ask," he said quickly when Chance stared at him in surprise. "She asked that we wait until she's in office first before revisiting the subject. I agreed that was probably a good idea. But, kittens ... we'll have to talk about it as she'll be needing some time to get the city's government the way it needs to be to function properly, then there's the court hearings against the ones that are responsible for this mess..."

Chance held up a palm, "Hold it...I get the picture. It will be more years than me before you too can settle down. I'm glad Ulysses and I have already gotten a home and our relationship is solid so we can move onto the next stage. Hope it won't be too much longer before you and Callie can say the same."

"Yeah, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little jealous of you for that. But, Callie and I do love each other so I'll just have to be patient."

"And stay alive!" Chance added. "Both of us. We have a lot more reason to care about our hides now than before. So it's doubly important that nothing goes wrong with this mission. No matter what, we need to get in and get out as fast as we can and with as much dirt as we can dig up on Frostburn to end this crap."

Jake gave him a grim smile as he turned into the parking garage of Enforcer Headquarters. "You got that right, buddy."

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Two hours later, Chance was sincerely wishing they hadn't agreed to do any of this. At the moment, his jaw was beginning to cramp from how tightly shut he was keeping it so he wouldn't voice his growing ire at the nasty remarks being hurled their way under many a soft breath (because saying loudly those epithets would have been oh-so unprofessional), as they were being prepped for the mission.

Just as he'd feared, their backup weren't pleased at being required to help two 'trouble-makers' handle such an important op. It was plainly obvious they'd not been forgiven their disgrace and banishment from the Enforcers despite how many years had passed, nor, he was rather miffed and surprised to learn, about his mating with the Commander.

Crud! You'd think enough time had passed for that not to be an issue any longer, Chance thought, disgusted. But apparently, not by some of the nasty comments he was hearing.

The cold treatment had begun the moment they'd arrived in the parking garage. Jake had parked in the spot they'd been previously given by Feral and turned off the engine. However, before they could exit the car, they were immediately surrounded by the black ops team assigned to them.

One of the team signaled Jake to roll down his window, then shoved two black ski masks at him as soon as he had complied.

"Put these on then get out," the same tom ordered, gruffly, eyes like flint.

Without a word spoken, Chance and Jake did as ordered then climbed out of the vehicle and closed the doors. The team gathered them close and made them walk in the center, then, as a whole, moved off toward a nearby waiting elevator where a fellow member held the door open so that none could call it away. Once aboard, one of them pressed the button for the basement. No one spoke as the numbers whizzed by until the fifth level was reached.

When the door slide open again, Chance and Jake were hustled to the left and down an empty corridor lined with doors. At the end of the hall was a heavily guarded door with two guards on either side of it. The leader of their little group with Captain's bars on his uniform, leaned forward to murmur something to one of the guards while the other guard held his weapon on them. The pair of guards wore full riot gear despite how far below ground they were and each held the more heavier laser cannon normally used in battles with the omegas.

This floor was the heart of Enforcer Headquarters...down here was where the huge computer that ran everything was located. Other offices were: Intelligence, back up communications center, back up command and control, and the battle strategy room. The last was what was behind the guarded door. In the strategy room, walls of monitors kept an eye on the city and aided the defenders in the field during omega attacks.

The guard the Captain had spoken to, nodded and turned to use a special keycard in a reader attached to the frame of the door. A soft click was heard and the entry lights went from red to green. Instead of opening outward, the door slid into the wall.

Once it was wide open, the pair were hurried through. The group walked past the, presently empty, control center and on into the secured conference room at the rear of the room. Once inside, one of them closed and locked the door. Every effort was being taken to ensure no one learned of the mission nor who would be undercover. Which was why Feral had not announced the pair's reinstatement to anyone except these guys and the RICO team at the mob boss' house.

Someone came up behind the pair and, without warning, yanked the ski masks rudely off, nearly pulling their ears off. Scowling in annoyance Chance eyed the room, noting the huge conference table that dominated the space, the ten comfortable swivel chairs that surrounded it, a large monitor screen on the wall behind the end of the table, a computer on a table beside that and three technicians standing near a pile of equipment and a machine at that end as well. Members of the ops team filed past Chance and his partner to take seats or to stand, leaning against the wall opposite them. Laying nearest them on the table was a pile of clothing.

"Strip and put those on but leave the shirt off for now," the Captain suddenly barked, pointing at the clothes.

Without speaking, though they did trade an annoyed glance, Jake and Chance quickly did as ordered, leaving their own clothing on the table. As soon as they were dressed, the technicians pounced on them to begin fitting the listening devices. Meanwhile, they had to endure the many and varied looks and softly spoken comments of loathing directed at them by the team.

Chance had a hard time keeping his cool as he held the shirt he'd been given in a tight fist and stared at the far wall as one of the techs worked to make the wire as invisible as he could. All of them were treating him and Jake as if they were criminals and it sucked. And, even though, bashing a few of those surly looks in the face might make him feel better, it would be only prove to them he was nothing but a punk ... so let them scowl! He would show them he could be just as professional as they were. Though the ops team's present behavior didn't show any sign of that supposed professionalism. It seemed wrong that their Captain would allow such behavior but there was nothing Chance dare say or do that wouldn't make things worse. Instead he looked down at what he wore. The tech guy was putting the finishing touches so he'd be able to put his shirt on soon. At least he had nothing to be ashamed about with his physique. There had been grudging admiration at how well he'd and Jake had kept in shape.

He grimaced at the clothing. It wasn't something he would normally choose to wear. He and Jake now wore a pair of perfectly ordinary trousers, Jake wearing dark blue and he, tan, and matching button up shirts with ties. At least they were allowed to keep their own shoes.

Apparently, they were supposed to look like local office geeks from the area where the recruitment of the thieves had been picked up. Because the crooks were from the area, it made it so much easier for them to blend in. But beneath their perfectly ordinary attire were some not so ordinary weapons hardware. When the hidden signal was given, the crime spree began. Someone had thought out all the details of this caper very carefully. Which meant a really savvy and smart opponent. They would have to be extremely cautious and on their toes the whole time they were undercover.

The Enforcers had been extremely lucky to have managed to squeeze the much needed info about the type of thieves these were and how they'd been recruited out of the few prisoners they'd been able to grab. Not only were the thieves from the area but they all had been kicked out of various military, police, or security agencies making them perfect soldiers for Frostburn's army of thugs.

Normally, that would present a problem infiltrating their ranks but that's where they'd gotten lucky again. Not only was Chance from that neighborhood and fairly well known but he was also a 'disgruntled' former Enforcer which was why so much secrecy was attached to he and Jake being reinstated. This was the only way they'd get into the tightly guarded, secretive gang. The black ops Captain had wanted to send one of his own but had to agreed, reluctantly, that Chance made a better option for success.

Chance's wandering thoughts were dragged back to the moment at paw by a particularly loud comment from the peanut gallery about 'using guys that couldn't follow orders'. He'd be lucky if his jaw didn't cramp by the time they were through here.

We'll make them eat those words soon enough! He thought, angrily. Frostburn is toast and so is his grand plan. Once we get the goods on that worthless piece of shit, our reputations will be restored. Also, when it comes out that we're the ones who protected the new Mayor, cleaned house for her, and were the ones who got them the new training facility and equipment, they will, hopefully, not freak out when it's revealed that they trusted the SWAT Kats with it all. He snorted. Oh yeah, and pigs will fly but one can dream. We do deserve a break and this is the only way I can see it possibly happening.

Jake wasn't any happier than his partner about their treatment but was better able to ignore all the hurtful remarks and just focus on why he was there.

The two of them were fitted with wires that Jake felt were woefully inadequate but he was wise enough to realize any suggestions on his part would be either ignored or taken as criticism and that he wanted to avoid. When they were out of here, he would quickly upgrade it where needed.

"Alright, they're set . . . say something so we can test it . . . " the tech announced.

"Ready to be done with this . . . " Chance growled.

"Testing . . . " Jake said more calmly, giving his partner a warning glance.

Sitting at the mini-command center computer, the third tech gave a nod and fiddled with the dials on his console for a moment before announcing, "We're live, quality's good!"

"Fine. Time for you two to head out then," Captain Refur said coldly.

They pulled on their shirts carefully and this time Chance made the effort to, at least, sound respectful when he responded with a brisk, "Yes, sir!"

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

The reverse procedure was followed, with their heads again covered with the ski masks, as they were hustled back out to their car. The team melted away quickly leaving the two to leave the garage and head out for the west end of the city. Chance took the wheel this time while Jake fiddled with their wires to improve their reception.

Now that their every word could be heard, they had to be extremely careful what they said to each other. However, since that could be problematic at times, Jake added a manual cut off switch so they could say something they didn't want any of the Enforcers to hear.

Now their biggest test was getting a job within Frostburn's mob. That was going to take some doing.

Their first stop was Pop's Newsstand. Chance pulled around the corner from the stand and got out. Jake followed but stayed slightly behind, letting Chance take the lead.

"Hey Pop!"

"Chance . . . Chance Furlong . . . been a long time there, youngster," Pop said in a rather rough voice.

"Not really. Don't you remember, I was by getting my comic just last month," Chance said, smiling warmly at the oldster.

"Ah yeah, you were. But it ain't time for the next edition so what brings you here," Pop asked, sorting some magazines onto his counter as he talked.

"Well, you see, me and Jake need new jobs. We were booted out of the salvage yard and need a new place quick. We heard someone was hiring, some kind of easy work, good money . . . you heard about it?"

Pop stopped what he was doing and eyed the young tom warily and with some distaste. "Don't be looking for easy work . . . that leads to a road full of trouble. You were always a good tom, don't be turning away from that upbringing just cause times are bad for ya!"

Chance put on a fake look of anger and bitterness. "Oh yeah! And what did being good get me? A boot out of the military followed by a shit job for something we didn't do," He growled intimidatingly while inside he cringed at treating the old tom so shabbily. He would make sure when this was over to make a personal apology but right now he needed that information so he leaned closer and snarled, " Have you heard about these people or now?"

Pop reared his head back and eyed the tom more warily "If you want to die young than look no further than James Doogan's BBQ place down on 4th!" He snapped flatly.

Chance nodded his head and turned away, feeling the old tom's hard stare on his back.

"Think hard what you're doing Chance! There's no turning back from that bad place!" Pop shouted.

Chance ignored him as did Jake as the two disappeared around the building again then climbed back into the car. Chance started the engine then squealed out for show, speeding down the street toward 4th Avenue. His fists gripped the steering wheel tightly and his face was grim with anger and sorrow.

"I hated doing that!" He hissed more to himself than his partner.

Jake looked just as unhappy. "Yeah, so do I, buddy, but we'll apologize later when we get this job done." He wanted to say more to comfort his friend but dare not due to the listening device.

"Yeah, I know, but it still sucks!"

Jake had nothing to say to that so simply remained silent and watched the traffic go by.